No Other Way
by Sith Master2019
Summary: At the end of S 4 when Irina comes back she tells Jack had she been in his position she would have found another way. But would she, what if it had been Jack who put a contract on Sydney's head...
1. Memory, Pt 1: The Beginning

_**This is my second Alias fic, not to worry though I own all seasons of Alias on DVD and stuff so I know what I am doing. Note: These first few chapters are going to be like on those episodes where they start out with something and then go back and explain it.**_

_No Other Way_

Chapter 1: Memory, Part 1: The Beginning

Jack was dead, Jack Bristow, master spy, secret agent, first class strategist, and Sydney Bristow's father was dead. Deceased as of four months ago, and it had taken APO up to three days ago just to find one viable lead. It had all started with the Russians turning over Jack's body to the CIA, after that he had been cremated and Sydney spread his ashes across the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee. That had been the worst day of her life, and since those four months she buried herself in her work at APO, vowing to find Jack's murder, and kill them. The work had finally paid off and thanks to a tape Sydney and Vaughn had stolen from a secret facility in Kazakhstan, Russia they new knew who the murderer was.

It was one A.M. Sydney ran down the white round entrance hall of APO, Sloane had called her there just thirty minutes ago with news that they knew who the killer was. Sydney tore into the entrance hall, Nadia behind her, turned the corner and almost smacked right into Sloane. She halted promptly.

"Where's the tape?" She asked out of breath.

"Marshall's office," Sloane replied. "Come now!"

XxX

Marshall's office was as quiet as Sydney's house now, except there was one difference between the two. Sydney's house was empty and still, Marshall's office was crammed with people including Dixon, Weiss, Marshall of course, and Vaughn. Sloane, Sydney and Nadia stepped in quickly, gathering around Marshall and his computer. The man could do great things with electronic devices; his skills with a computer were as great as Sydney's in the field. Marshall turned to face her. He didn't look as perky and happy as he might have.

"Who did it?" Sydney asked. "Who killed him?"

"I don't know how to tell you this Syd, of course I don't know how to tell people a lot of things you know, like sometimes when Carrie has the TV up to loud I cant—"

"Marshall!"

"Oh yeah," Marshall jumped at Sydney's loud voice. "It was…"

"It was who Marshall?"

"Irina Derevko."

72 Hours Ago, Los Angeles

Sydney walked into APO for the millionth time in the six months she had been working there, two months of which her father had been with her, the other four he had been dead. Every day she went in there they were no closer to finding any sort of lead on who the killer was. Forensic analysis showed nothing, the only evidence they had were the two bullets recovered from his head, they came from a nine millimeter pistol, that's all they knew. Other than that they had nothing, no finger prints on the body, hair samples, nothing. And now the body of Jack Bristow was little more than ash.

It was a miracle that had even _found_ the body itself, which they actually had handed over to them from the Russians who found an American affiliated with the CIA dead on Soviet soil. They handed him over and said they had nothing else, no leads, evidence, suspects, nothing, which of course Sydney thought was a load of crap.

Anyway today was her day off, but she walked into APO like any other work day, not complaining that this job was taking over what personal life she had. Sloane had called her in, as usual. He always told her he was there for her, and that she was not the only one who felt pain in Jack's death. This half comforted her, half sickened her. She didn't know whether or not she could believe Sloane. Nevertheless she walked into his office, putting her personal feelings aside and burying them deep down.

"Ah Sydney, you're here, good." Sloane greeted.

"Yeah great, today is my day off too." Sydney replied sharply, not really meaning to be rude but she hadn't any coffee this morning and she was tired.

"I doubt you'll care when you hear what I have to say."

Sydney's hopes rose, the only thing that would make her not care when a cup of coffee was absent from her system so early in the morning was if they had found any intelligence about her father.

"What is it?" She asked hopefully, though not sounding so.

"We have just acquired intel from an agent within the Kremlin. It turns out that the SVR is actually conducting an investigation into Jack's murder as we suspected. It seems they also know who the killer was but they will not willingly divulge the information to anyone and all documents on it are classified to the highest level. However we have just found out about a secret analysis facility in Kazakhstan. We have reason to believe the Russians are in possession of footage of Jack's murder and they are keeping it in this facility because of its secret location."

"Oh my god," was all Sydney could manage.

"I'm calling a briefing in five."

XxX

The briefing room was as white as the rest of APO and was like any other briefing room Sydney was ever in. Accept for the fact that they had nearly three dozen LCD screens on the wall, Sydney found herself taking in every detail of those screens with nothing else to do. It was as though each second was an hour long, and each minute was a day. Where the hell was Sloane? Nadia, Weiss, Dixon, Vaughn, Marshall, and Sydney herself were all present in the room. What was taking him so long? What felt like hours later, but was actually three seconds Sloane stepped in.

Every head snapped in his direction. They watched intently as Sloane grabbed the remote for the screens off of the white table and pressed a button, the screens on the wall flashed and displayed a satellite image of what looked somewhat like a square warehouse. It was surrounded by a snowy tundra littered here and there with rocks and huge curving white hills.

"This," Sloane began. "is a secret SVR facility in Kazakhstan, Russia. We believe the Russians are keeping footage of Jack's murder here. This facility is well guarded and has weak exterior surveillance but a strong guard presence in doors. It also has alarm systems that will directly alert Soviet military who will respond to any intruder with lethal force. There is a military camp just half a mile from here with at least two hundred troops and thirty helicopters. So going in tactically is not an option."

"Where did we acquire this intel?" Vaughn asked.

"An agent within the Kremlin supplied us with it." Sloane replied, and continued. "Director Hayden Chase has authorized this office to send operatives into this facility to retrieve the footage on this tape. It is on the top of three floors in this facility in a storage/ analysis room. Sydney, Vaughn, you'll be going in stealth, Nadia, Weiss you'll be covering in a nearby stealth helicopter for extraction. I want a plan for infiltration drawn up within the hour. Take into account that there can be absolutely no fatalities in that facility and if possible I want a recorded version of the tape. We don't want to provoke a war with Russia. Marshall will run op-tech; you leave in twenty four hours. Dover air field, good luck."


	2. Memory, Pt 2: Kazakhstan

**_Note: This chapter might have a bit of action in it. I am told I am excellent at action sequences. Although I am usually a Star Wars writer so most of my action sequences involved highly detailed sword fighting. But whatever, you've go to try. By the way you'll be seeing Kazakhstan a lot since it took me a long time to figure out how to spell it, plus it's the only Russian place I actually know besides Moscow. _**

Chapter 2: Memory, Part 2: Kazakhstan

48 Hours Ago, Kazakhstan

At first glance the land around the secret SVR analysis facility would look barren and blank with nothing but snow, rock, and hills along with mountains off in the distance. But if one were to look behind an incredibly tall hill behind the southern end of the facility one might see two figures crouched in white camouflage suits, that is if that person's eyesight was sharp enough as it was snowing like hell and it was past ten at night. These two figures, blending seamlessly into their immediate environment were Sydney Bristow, and Michael Vaughn. As planned they were about the infiltrate the facility behind the hill next to them.

Nadia and Weiss were safely in the heated closed compartment of a helicopter with stealth capabilities which was on the ground half a mile west of the facility, half a mile east was the Soviet military base whose radar showed no sign of the enemy chopper. Sydney and Vaughn waited for confirmation to head in as APO re-tasked a satellite over their position. Finally Sydney heard the comm in her right ear beep and Sloane's cool and smooth voice filtered through.

"Phoenix, Shotgun, engage."

"Copy that." Sydney replied, touching the comm in her ear. She and Vaughn turned around and headed forward, just a little around the hill there was an exhaust port, connected to the basement of the nearby facility. Schematics and blueprints showed that it was an exhaust port for the facility's own power generator. Luckily Sydney and Vaughn had large thermal suits with them, both slipped the silver garb on and attacked rappel lines on the edge of the pipe, next to the closed grate. Now for that problem, Sydney produced a small torch from her pocket and switched it on letting the little spike of fire and oxygen cut through the slightly rusted steel grate.

The generator was located in the basement of the facility; from there they would be able to access the vent system that would take them as far as the same floor that the analysis room was on (which was the third of three floors). From there they would retrieve the tape, copy it, and slip back out the way they came. With any luck it would go that smoothly but of course that was not going to happen. It sounds good when written but it is eons different in the field. So the ease that problem both Sydney and Vaughn were armed with tranquilizer pistols.

They rappelled down into the pipe, the heat suits protecting their skin. After about five minutes of nothing but darkness Sydney felt her feet touch something solid, she looked to her right to see about a twenty foot long shaft that went down, and where it went down a small bit of light shined up through the steam. Sydney and Vaughn headed there, fining themselves above the steaming generator. Both jumped down, still in their suits after making sure the basement was empty. Behind the generator they shed their heat suits like snakeskin.

To the western side of the room was a vent they could access, except when they peeked around the side of the generator they noticed something disappointed, directly to the left of the vent's grate was a small flight of stairs which led to a door that went out of the basement, above the door was a camera which was rotating from one side to the next. Sydney and Vaughn both ducked back behind the generator as the camera lens turned their way.

Sydney tapped the comm in her ear.

"Merlin, we've got a camera. We need it looped." Sydney said to Marshall.

"Hold on Phoenix… hacking into their system now," Marshall replied. "Okay, the camera is on a five minute loop, you have a go."

"Copy that, proceeding into the vents." Sydney said, both she and Vaughn ran to the vent, crouched low and making little noise. They pried the grate off quickly and entered the crawlspace, Vaughn first. They shuffled around the vent for a while until they got to a section where they could stand; there was a long shaft above them. This presented a particular problem as there wasn't exactly a quiet way to scale vertical metal shafts.

Luckily they had Marshall. Sydney and Vaughn each drew a pistol, spring loaded with a rappel line that had an electro magnet on it. To reduce the sound of the magnet's impact the magnet would stick on at a very low setting, then Sydney and Vaughn would raise the setting so that the magnet could hold their weight, then they would climb up. Since this was a secure facility the vent system was fortified, therefore it would hold their wait as well, hopefully.

Both climbed up their rappel lines, slowly, going past other vent openings for different floors, thankfully the floor they needed access to was the top, and once they reached the top of the shaft they were able to, one after another, pulled themselves to the left and into a vent shaft which led into the hallway of the third floor. Sydney had gone first.

When she reached the grate of the vent she pulled out her PDA which had an optic cable attached to it, carefully she pushed it through the gaps in between the metal bars of the vent grate and was able to look around. Immediately she saw problems.

First of all there were two guards pacing the hall as well as a camera at the very end, and there was a retinal scanner near the door to the analysis room which indicated the door was locked and needed to scan a certain person's eyes in order to open. Sydney tapped her comm of the umpteenth time.

"Merlin, we've got a problem. I count two hostiles patrolling the target hallway and a camera, the door to the lab is also locked, there's a retinal scanner by it." Sydney said.

"Thermal satellite imaging shows there's also a room with four guards in it to the left." Nadia's voice said.

"From the way it looks they're all sleeping." Weiss added.

"Okay Phoenix, I put the camera on a twenty minute loop." Marshall announced. "Just take out the guards and we'll figure out what to do about the scanner."

"Copy that Merlin." Sydney replied.

"Ready?" She asked Vaughn.

"Ready." He whispered. Quietly she unscrewed the vent grate, and then the worst happened. She lost grip of the detached piece of metal and it fell, clanking on the ground. Both guards, on opposite side of the hallway too, turned when they heard the vent fall, Sydney hit the one to the left with a tranquilizer dart before he could so much as lift his gun. The other one she got in the shoulder just as he flicked off the thumb safety. Both she and Vaughn pulled themselves out of the vent and into the dimly lit hall.

"Damn it! Shotgun, Phoenix one of you is going to have to take out the four guards in the room to your left, look's like two are waking up." Weiss's voice alerted them. Vaughn grabbed a gas grenade from his belt. There were no words exchanged between them and Vaughn headed for the door to the room while Sydney headed for the lab.

When Vaughn reached the door he pressed the comm in his ear.

"Merlin, do I have a clear entry? No cameras?" Vaughn asked quickly.

"You… you uh, should." Marshall replied quickly, preoccupied with something else.

"Should or do?" Vaughn asked impatiently.

"Do!" Marshall said back. Just as Vaughn's hand was about the turn the door knob Marshall's voice stopped him.

"No, wait, wait, wait! There's a camera in there!"

"I hate it when you do that!" Vaughn snapped back quietly.

"Okay shotgun you've got a go." Marshall said.

Vaughn opened the door quickly and in one smooth motion ripped the cap off the grenade, tossed it in, closed the door and ran to help Sydney who was busy having a conversation with Marshall.

"Well can I hack the scanner?" Sydney asked somewhat impatiently when Vaughn reached her.

"No, not really, retinal scanners can't be hacked. Try one of the guards you just got." Marshall replied clearly doing something else.

"No," Dixon put in for the first time. "It's much more likely that the retinal scanner is only going to open for one of the scientists that use the lab. It would be a tactical error the have it set to open for one of the patrolling guards."

"Okay then," Marshall said glumly. "I'll try and get it open."

"Hurry up Merlin!" Weiss snapped.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, this is not easy you know." Marshall retorted. "Okay… it's open."

Sydney grabbed the silver handle of the black door and twisted, she heard the system disengage and she pushed the door open, letting Vaughn in first, tranquilizer gun sweeping the room. The first the Sydney noticed about the Russian analysis lab was that there was more clutter all over everything then there was in Weiss's house. That doesn't seem like much but really, it's a boatload of clutter. Papers littered tables, stacks of boxes on benches, at first glance it looked like there were absolutely no tools, in fact there were several microscopes and ever a few computers blocked my mountains of anything you could think of that needed to be analyzed. Also there were five dark green safe lining the wall in front of Vaughn and Sydney.

Each safe had a giant white number stamped on its door with a keypad to the right.

"Phoenix, Shotgun, do you have anything?" Nadia asked.

"This place is a mess. Where the hell do we look?" Sydney asked irritated.

"Hang on, hang on," Weiss answered back. "Okay I'm hacking into the system and accessing the analysis records… okay it says all footage files are in safe four."

"The safe is keypad locked," Sydney stated. "We don't have anything to crack it."

"You're running out of time Phoenix." Sloane's cool voice said. "Cut it open and get out of there."

"Copy that." Sydney replied, not sure if this was a good idea. She took the small cutting torch out of her pocket again and set it to its maximum cut setting. A knife of fire burst out of its silver end and after a while did cut through the safe and its lock.

"Wow, wow, wow, wow!" Weiss cried. "Damn it, it looks like you just triggered a silent alarm."

"How many guards on their way?" Vaughn asked.

"Four," Nadia replied. "Damn it! The alarm went out to the Soviet military base!"

"Phoenix, Shotgun abort, head for extraction." Sloane ordered.

"Not yet." Sydney replied, pulling open the door for the safe. As if it were a wonderful act of God there was only one tape sitting in the safe. Sydney picked it up and examined the label; thankfully she could read and speak Russia fluently. The label had only three words on it, which in English transferred to AMERICAN AGENT'S MURDER. This was the one.

"I have the tape." Sydney announced.

"Well you don't have time to record it like we planned so you're gonna have to take it." Marshall said.

"No!" Sloane protested. "Director Chase gave a strict order to copy and not steal the tape."

"Phoenix, Shotgun guards are coming!" Weiss shouted so loudly Sydney wanted to say something about it.

"Since when do you have a problem with stealing?" Sydney retorted to Sloane's protest.

"Since I became director of an American black-ops division and I'd rather not provoke a war with Russia!"

"We're black ops, we'll be untraceable—"

"Can we argue about this later?" Weiss asked.

"Come on Syd!" Vaughn cried.

"Phoenix, Shotgun, put that tape back!"

"Get the hell out of there!" Weiss cried.

Sydney and Vaughn both silently decided they liked Weiss's order better. Both ran and dived into the vent shaft, sliding down the ropes. They made their way into the basement and swiftly threw on their discarded heat suits, grabbing onto their cables the climbed their way out of the facility, literally ripping off their heat suits when they exited the exhaust vent. They both froze then, not from the cold, but because they could hear the distant sound of many choppers headed in their direction. Just over the hill behind them they could see white camouflage style helicopters heading straight for the facility. Then they heard another, one from the opposite direction, a pure black helicopter with absolutely no markings. Its side door was open and they could clearly see Weiss and Nadia sticking out of it, it swooped low and hovered just above the ground sending snow flying in all directions.

Sydney and Vaughn tore off towards it, the Soviet choppers were alerted to their enemy's presence however and two of those white helicopters came up over the hill, spot lights shining on Vaughn and Sydney as they got in. Their chopper jerked up fast and began heading the opposite way of the facility, the two enemy choppers behind them.

"Son of a bitch!" Weiss cursed. He spoke into the microphone protruding from the enormous pair of dull green headphones around his ears. "Can't we do anything about them?!"

"No fatalities," Sydney said.

"Phoenix, Shotgun," Sloane addressed over the comms that were still in their ears. Damn them for not plucking them out and throwing them into the white tundra's below. "I've spoken to agent Chase, what is your situation?"

"We're proceeding with extraction," Vaughn replied. "We're in the chopper now, we have two bogeys on our tail."

"Crap!" One of the pilots cried. One of those bogeys had opened fire with a mounted machine gun. The pilot flying Sydney and Vaughn's chopper pulled it up sharply, narrowly missing a swarm of flying bullets.

"We are under fire, repeat, we are under fire!" Sydney yelled at Sloane.

"You have authorization to take those choppers down." Sloane finally said.

"Yee-haw!" One of the pilots shouted, he had a southern accent. "Let's shoot us some Soviets!"

Sydney nearly lost her seat, not the mention dinner and their chopper turned sharply and began flying backwards, facing their enemies. Seconds later a missile flew out from the side of their chopper and collided with the white camouflage on the left, it went down in a blazing metal heap, melting the show around where it crashed. The other one tried to open fire but the southern pilot did first, a hundred some bullets pounded into the inferior Soviet chopper, completely shattering the glass windshield and sending the entire thing down, controlled by two dead and cold pilots. It hit the ground and exploded. Sydney almost lost her dinner again as the chopper swung around and continued on its former course.

"Hell yeah!" Cried the southerner. "Now that's how you kick ass man!"

Sydney, Vaughn, Weiss, and Nadia laughed in unison, they were safe and the mission had been a success (though probably not in Sloane's point of view) and Sydney finally had footage of the person who murdered her father.


	3. Memory, Pt 3: The Murderer

Chapter 3: Memory, Part 3: The Murderer

6 Hours Ago, Los Angeles

The tape was safely in the possession of APO. Marshall had it in his office and even now he was analyzing it. Sydney and Nadia sat together on a sofa in the living room of Sydney's house, feet propped up on the coffee table, they were both staring at the lit TV but neither was really paying attention. The tape that she had held in her hands not so long ago was all Sydney could think about, it was the only thing on her mind. Nadia was worried about her sister's well being, she had dumped so much of her focus into the murder that she had lost fifty percent of everything else in her life, she could only half enjoy her time with Vaughn, Nadia could never really talk to her because she was either engaged in something for work or she was tired. Right now she was the second one. Nadia could almost _sense_ Sydney planned on getting up.

A few moments later she sighed deeply.

"What is it?" Nadia asked.

"It's just so insane…" Sydney replied, trailing off.

"What is?"

"I'm investigating the murder of my own father…"

Nadia didn't know how to reply.

"Ugh, I'm sorry, I'm just tired."

"Get some rest Syd,"

"Yeah," Sydney said stretching, yawning, and then glancing at her watch. It was still early and even though she had returned from the little venture to Russia yesterday she was still exhausted both physically and mentally from it. "I'm going to take a shower, and then I'm gonna crash."

That sounded like the best idea Sydney had ever heard, and it had come from herself. Standing in the shower while letting the spraying hot water kneed away the tension in her back; take away the woes of the day, of life actually. God, someday she was just going to have to suck it up and see Judy Barnett, she was a total mess though she could keep it together when necessary. Sadly necessary was all the time, and so on that sad note she stood up and walked to the shower, she completely forgot about her troubles the moment the hot water hit her back.

XxX

30 Minutes Ago

Some loud sound alerted Sydney and her eyes snapped open, she pulled a pistol from under her pillow, cocked the hammer and pointed it at the darkness in front of her. Nothing, but she had heard something… then it came again, making her jump. She pointed the gun to her right, directly at her ringing cell phone. Sighing she picked up the thing and answered it tiredly. She thought she heard Nadia's ring in the other room as well.

"Hello?" Sydney asked the phone tiredly, Sloane's voice snapped her to attention.

"Sydney, get to APO, now." He said and the line went dead. Clamping her Motorola RAZR flip phone closed she jumped out of bed and got into some clothes, whatever the hell Sloane needed it better be a threat to the world or something because waking her up at, what was it? One in the morning was not something she liked.

XxX

Present Time

That call Sloane had awoken her with was a call into APO because Marshall knew who killed her father, it was her mother. She stared down at Marshall's dead computer screen; all eyes were on it, Vaughn's, Nadia's, Sloane's, Weiss's, Marshall's as well.

"You sure it was her?" Sydney asked.

"Positive Syd," Marshall replied sadly. "It was Irina."

"Play it." Sydney commanded shortly.

"Sydney, are you—" Dixon started but was cut off by Sydney's determined order to Marshall.

"Play it Marshall, now."

Marshall turned the computer screen on.

"All we have is audio feed." He explained. "But I created a lip reading program and was able to reconstruct some of the dialogue…."

Sydney shut Marshall up with an abrupt slash of her hand as the film began rolling. It showed her father sitting on a plastic chair with his feet propped up at the edge of an empty pool; in one hand was a glass of wine which he had been sipping. Seconds later a woman entered, it was Irina, she walked towards Jack, the camera angle showed Irina's left profile and Jack's right.

Irina stopped in front of her former husband.

"_Irina,"_ A high pitched computer voice acknowledged in stead of Jack's. Jack put his feet down on the tiled floor around the pool. _"I followed our contacting protocols. Why, may I ask, are we meeting here? You said you needed help, what can—" _

Irina stopped him.

"_I have a question for you Jack." _A different computer voice said in Irina's stead. She pulled out a silenced pistol and aimed it at Jack who immediately dodged one way, his chair fell into the pool and the wine glass shattered. Irina turned to face him, away from the camera. She clearly asked him the question she had just spoken about, sadly Marshall could not reconstruct it.

"_Irina, what the hell are you doing? Put the gun down!"_ Jack's computer voice said emotionlessly.

Irina said something to him, again it was unreadable. Jack spoke his last words then: _"It had to be done Irina. There was no other way, you must understand."_

And then Irina swung her pistol, making contact with Jack's temple, the man fell to the floor, and looked up at his former wife who had betrayed him once more one last time. Then Irina fired, once, twice, both bullets drilled their way into Jack's brain. His body went limp; Irina looked down at him for a few moments, looked away and then kicked his body into the empty pool. She walked out of the room as though absolutely nothing had happened.

Marshall shut the thing off. Everyone stared at the black computer screen, utterly stricken by what they had just seen. That footage brought a swell of emotions into Sydney's heart, she felt mostly pure, seething rage, grief and sadness also, and a strong desire to make Irina Derevko pay for what she did. It seemed like hours before anyone spoke, everything was quiet. The office was silent, the subway, hell the entire world had gone speechless after the tape had ended. Finally after decades of it Sydney ended the hard quiet.

"Where did this take place?" She asked, her voice choked with anger.

"Uh…" Marshall said, and then pulled himself together. "I… I did some digging and found out… it came from the security camera of a closed hotel in Moscow."

Sydney nodded, still not past what she had seen. It was one thing to know someone who is close to you is dead, another to see them get killed.

"If… if the hotel was closed then why was the camera running?"

"I don't know Syd." Marshall replied.

"Then… then maybe we should go to the hotel and look—"

"No," Sloane cut her off. "No, the Russians would have cleaned everything out anyway. There is a better course of action to be taken."

"What is that?" Sydney asked.

"Sydney, I think you should go speak to Katya Derevko, seeing that she worked with your mother—"

"Irina, seeing as she worked with Irina Derevko," Sydney corrected firmly.

"Seeing as she worked closely with Irina Derevko she may know where to find her. I know this is will probably be hard for you…"

"No, I'll go see Katya if it means finding Irina Derevko, and when I do I'm going to kill her."

Nevada

Katya Derevko was being held in a high security prison in the middle of the Nevada Desert. Sydney sat behind the pilot's seat of a helicopter, circling around the sandy white building. It was tall and surrounded by barbed wire fencing, she could see a basketball courts down on the ground, with orange and gnat sized inmates running around on them. The chopper headed towards the very top of the building, a white pad sat on it with a huge letter H imprinted upon its surface. The chopper touched down smoothly on the heli-pad and Sydney got out of it quickly to see a small greeting party which consisted of four guards and a man in a nice looking suit, most likely the warden.

"Hello Miss Bristow." He greeted nicely, they shook hands briefly. "I understand you are here to visit prisoner 1147, Derevko is it?"

"Yes, that's correct." Sydney replied, she, him, and their guard started towards the entrance to the building.

"May I ask the nature of your visit?"

"Classified,"

"Ah yes, well," He stopped short, right in front of the silver doors of the elevator. A guard produced a metal detector and searched her, she was clean. "Security protocol, you understand."

"Yeah," Sydney replied as the man touched the now arrow button next to the elevator.

"Oh yes," The warden said, as though something had just struck him. "I forgot to introduce myself; I'm Roger Mitchell, warden of this facility."

"Nice to meet you Mr. Mitchell," Sydney said as the elevator doors opened, the six of them stepping in to the surprisingly large lift. The doors closed, everything was quiet except for the sounds of the car being lowered down the shaft. Then the doors pulled back, leading into a lobby like room. There were two armed men in a room behind a bullet proof glass window, two hallways were on either side of that room. Mitchell walked up to the glass.

"We have a visitor for prisoner 1147." Mr. Mitchell said.

"Sure thing boss," One of the men said. "You want a visiting room secured?"

Mr. Mitchell looked to Sydney for confirmation.

"No, I'll just speak to her at her cell. We're old friends."

Relatives, more like, and that term she used very loosely.

"Okay," The armed man said, he pressed a button on a console before him, something buzzed loudly and the door to the left of the room slid open. Two of the four guards escorted Sydney in, and it closed behind her. The warden along with the other two guards left to some other business. Sydney followed the guards through the cell block, a couple gruff looking women stared at her from behind the metal bars but she paid them no mind. They reached then end of the hallway and took a left into a slim corridor that wasn't that long. It led into no cells, save one, at the very end. The guards led her close to it, she told them to leave and they did so immediately.

Sydney walked closer to the cell, and looked around the corner. Katya Derevko was sitting on her bed (though you would really call it a metal slab with a thin mattress), reading some old magazine. Her hair was just lightly longer than the last time Sydney had seen her and still jet black. She was dressed in a bright orange jumpsuit, the number 1147 printed largely on the back, and small on the front, just under the right shoulder.

She put her magazine down and looked up at Sydney, she smiled.

"I wondered if you would ever come to visit me." She stated, standing up and walking towards the bars.

"The last time I saw you _Aunt_ Katya you tried to kill me." Sydney said coldly.

"It was never my intention to kill you—"

"Save it, I came here for information."

"Did you now?" Katya asked, smiling and stepping closer to the bars still. "I'm at your service."

"I need to know where Irina Derevko might be."

"Really, I see. And why should I help you?"

"I'm willing to provide you with some comforts that might make your stay in prison a little easier."

"If that's as much as you're willing to give me then the answer is no."

"What do you want then?" Sydney asked impatiently.

"Full pardon, immediate release."

"You know I can't do that."

"You'll find a way Sydney, I'm sure if you take it to the justice department it'll be granted. I guarantee I'm the only way you'll ever find Irina."

"Alright, I'll see what I can do. But how can I find Irina?"

"Half now, half later." Katya said. "Irina has a safe house in Manhattan, New York. She keeps some servers there that she logs personal information on."

"If this safe house isn't real Katya, I'll have whatever agreement I get for you officially revoked."

"It's real Sydney, trust me. Now go and get my pardon agreement."


	4. Problems

Chapter 4: Problems

New York

It had taken Sydney a while to secure an agreement with the justice department for Katya's pardon agreement. Two days before they were convinced, it was probably because Sydney mentioned her father was killed by Irina Derevko and with Katya's help she could track her down. So Katya was a free woman once she helped Sydney secure the data Irina had stored on the computers in her safe house. They stood before it on a dark street in central Manhattan; it was a fairly large apartment building, probably twenty floors. It also looked like a nice place to stay, with little security and it seemed to have a fair amount of people streaming in and out of it. That made Sydney wonder why Irina would choose this place at all for a safe house, thoughts crossed her mind. Perhaps this was not a safe house of Irina's and Katya was attempting to lure her into some abandoned apartment and kill her. This thought made her grasp the handle of the nine millimeter holstered to her side, under her long coat.

It was raining outside, and was a dreary day. Katya looked at Sydney, her short hair matted to her head.

"Ready?"

"Yeah, I'll follow your lead."

"Come then."

Katya started off toward the tall brick building, Sydney right behind her. They reached the doors just as a bald man who stunk of to much cologne exited; he was around Katya's age. He graciously held the door open for them and allowed them entry, Katya smiled at him.

Sydney found herself in the small lobby. There was an employee at a desk which had a locked glass case of keys behind it, each with a different number over it; there were two more glass cases like this beside it, all full of keys.

Katya took the right hall and went towards the elevators, pressing the arrow pointing up. They entered the small white lift and the doors closed in front of them. Katya pressed the button for the fourth floor.

"Irina's apartment number is 447." Katya said.

The elevator stopped with a high pitched ping and the doors opened into a windowless hallway with a red carpeted floor. They stepped into it and found room 447 with ease. Katya and Sydney stood before it as a woman walking down the hall disappeared around the corner, from her coat pocket Katya produced a lock pick and swiftly disengaged the doors lock. She and Sydney entered and incredibly bare apartment.

There was literally nothing but a couch in it, a couch and counters in the kitchen area. When you walked in you were immediately in the living room which had one window, blinds drawn. To the left was an archway leading into a kitchen area and to the right was a door, probably to the bedroom. They entered it, two more doors; one was open that led to an incredibly clean and unused bathroom. The bed was bare, nothing covered the mattress.

Katya strode over to the closet. Sydney noticed a nice silver dead bolt lock on it, the new kind, impossible to pick. The door was probably reinforced too. No matter, Sydney walked up to it and shot it with her silenced pistol. The deadbolt was broken; she easily disengaged its system and opened the door. Something fell on top of her sending her down to the floor, it was a small mattress. Kicking it off of her she looked inside the closet, it was bare except for a hook to hang a coat on the wall. Apparently Katya knew something she didn't as she walked to the hook and pulled it down, Sydney half expected the wall to pull back and an assassin to leap out and kill her but nothing happened at all. She was about the question Katya when she pushed on the wall and it turned, leading into a cramped little room with a glowing Dell server. A key board and screen on it. Sydney and Katya walked up to it and turned the screen on. A window asking for a password popped up.

"I do not know the code." Katya said. Sydney could have just about shot her. She knew everything else, what room it was, how to get to the server itself but she didn't know the damn password! Why the hell did she even know where it was in the first place if she didn't know the password? Sydney sighed.

"We need to take all of the hard drives then."

XxX

They had taken all the hard drives form Irina's safe house, Katya's deal was done, she had been given everything she needed to disappear. As far as Sydney knew she was on a plane to Russia. Sydney had given Marshall the hard drive, he said it could take him a while to decrypt it, feeling frustrated and annoyed Sydney walked down the long white tunnel of APO that led to the Los Angeles subway. She jumped when she heard someone yell to her.

"Syd, wait!"

She turned around, it was Vaughn.

"I'm off work too. Want to go get something to eat?"

"Absolutely."

**_Sorry for a short chapter and a boring one, I'll give you some info on the next one to make up for it. Irina makes her appearance! Review if you like this fic and want me to continue. _**


	5. Nothing, Then Everything

Chapter 5: Nothing, Then Everything

Sydney opened her eyes and found herself lying in bed, staring into Vaughn's sleeping face. She smiled and carefully turned around, not wanting to wake him up, when she saw the time her alarm clock displayed she was about ready to scream, apparently something did escape her lips though, loud enough to wake Vaughn up. She felt him rise, she turned to him.

"It's ten Vaughn! Ten."

"It's our day off Syd…." Vaughn replied sleepily. Dear lord, they actually had a day off? Sydney never remembered Sloane saying anything about it, what day was it anyway? How come she couldn't remember anything? She picked up her watch and checked the date, ah yes it was actually their day off. She had to loosen up a little, or perhaps that wasn't and option, no, she had to find Irina Derevko.

But so long as it was their day off… Vaughn leaned in and kissed her on the lips, she kissed back and she felt more free than she had in days that is until both of their cell phones went off in unison.

"Our day off," Sydney said more to herself sarcastically. Both she and Vaughn simultaneously picked up their phones and put them to their ears.

"Yeah?" They asked in unison.

APO

Sydney and Vaughn dressed in their usual working clothes (Vaughn's being a suit and Sydney had chosen to wear a plain black shirt with matching pants) walked into APO. Marshall had summoned them from their nice comfortable bed; Sydney was so stressed she could just about beat whoever it was that made Marshall call. Sloane probably, wouldn't that be fun? They reached Marshall, both spoke in an annoyed tone.

"What is it Marshall?" They asked in unison.

"Well it took me a while but I… uh…" He reached into the bag her had around his shoulder, a laptop bag, and pulled out a… laptop. "I finished decrypting Derevko's hard drives and…"

He struggled trying to open the thing while balancing it on one hand.

"Marshall!" Sydney and Vaugh snapped in annoyance.

"Maybe it would be better…" He stowed the laptop back in its bag. "If I just told you."

"That would be great." Sydney said.

"I decrypted the hard drives."

"We know," Vaughn said. "Did you find anything useful?"

"Yes, actually, one of the hard drives had some info about what Irina has been doing for a while. It concerns one of her sisters."

"Katya?"

"No," Said Sloane as he rounded the corner and joined Marshall. "Elena."

"Yeah, what Mr. Sloane said, by the way Mr. Sloane you're looking well today… is that a new… watch?"

"Marshall! What about Elena Derevko?" Sydney asked.

"Oh yeah, it seems that Irina has been trying to track her down for the last few months, it lists a few dozen travel destinations, addresses, everything. It looks like Irina was hunting Elena down for something."

"Anything else?" Vaughn asked, he didn't particularly care about Elena Derevko.

"Yeah, it mentions something about a Rambaldi manuscript and apparently Elena was looking for it but it doesn't give any specifics. And Syd, it mentions something about you…"

"What about me?"

"Someone put a hit on your life." Sloane said. "The drives don't detail the specifics, but as far as we can tell Irina was trying to stop them."

"Well then it was probably Elena, which is why Irina's hunting her down now." Vaughn suggested.

"That doesn't explain why she murdered my father."

"I think it is possible Elena set her up for some unknown reason." Sloane said. "Elena was one of the KGB's top assassins, during the times she worked with them she gained a reputation for being the cruelest of the Derevko women."

"If Irina's hunting Elena then maybe we should try looking for Elena as well." Vaughn suggested.

"Elena has been gone for years." Sloane said.

"Then we better get started." Sydney put in.

XxX

As Sydney had suspected they found absolutely nothing on Elena Derevko, not even so much as a picture. Nothing on Irina either. It was a completely wasted day, one that she might have spent with Vaughn. However she was off of work now, maybe she could relax. Nadia walked beside her and they stepped up to the door of their house, which they found ajar.

"You leave the door open Syd?" Nadia asked.

"No." Sydney replied, pulling out her hand gun, Nadia did the same. Going first Sydney kicked the door open more and looked inside, hugging the wall close, Nadia next to her, nothing. She stepped into the place, gun outstretched, adrenaline pumping. Walking in further she saw a figure sitting on her counter and almost dropped her gun in surprise. Gathering herself up quickly before her enemy could make a move she cocked the hammer.

"Hello Sydney." Irina Derevko said quietly. She was sitting on a bench at her counter, she had poured herself some champagne, a bottle Sydney had been saving for her and Vaughn, that just made her fury grow all the more.

"What the hell are you doing in my house?!"

"Sydney, let me explains something. The reason I killed Jack, he put a contract—"

"I am trough with your lies. How the hell did you get into my house?!"

"Irina…" Nadia whispered quietly, neither Sydney nor her mother paid her the slightest mind.

"Katya told me you were looking for me, when she got back into Russia. I came and found you to explain." Irina said quiet calmly. "Now Sydney you have to listen to me put the gun down."

"Nadia, get the duck tape, it's the drawer by my bed." Sydney said, keeping her pistol trained right between Irina's observant eyes. Nadia walked around her, pointing her gun at Irina half heartedly, then started down the hall toward Sydney's room.

"On the ground," Sydney commanded.

"Sydney—"

"Now!"

Irina complied, lying herself flat on the ground, Sydney kept the gun trained on the back of her head and bent down to search Irina's brown jacket. Suddenly Irina's foot hit her gun, sending it flying out of Sydney's hands, but before she could react she was flying towards her counter. Irina stood up and pulled out a gun just as Nadia came back, Sydney watched stunned as Irina pulled the trigger, Nadia fell to the ground! Thankfully it was a tranquilizer gun. Irina pointed it at Sydney.

"Listen to me Sydney, you have to listen."

Sydney stood up, grabbing a plate from the counter.

"Sydney you've only got one chance, put the plate down. If I shoot you I'll be on a flight back to Russia in an hour and you'll never find me, please listen."

But Sydney didn't listen, she hurled the glass plate at Irina, she dropped the tranquilizer gun and stopped the plate from colliding with her face. By the time it fell to the floor and shattered Sydney was right in front of her, with a knife. She swiped at Irina, forcing her to jump back, once, twice more. Irina was at the sofa, one last time Sydney swiped high, Irina ducked, sweep kicking her. Sydney fell flat to the ground loosing grip on the knife; Irina kicked it under the sofa, picked up her tranquilizer gun quickly and pointed it at Sydney.

"Stop being a stubborn as I am." Irina snapped. "Now listen."

"No." Sydney hissed. Irina was off or something today, she was completely facing her, legs spread apart like she was firing in the practice range. Sydney took her feet and tripped Irina who fell back on the sofa. Sydney leapt up and ran at her, but Irina regained her balance and aimed her pistol at Sydney and shot, the dark missed and hit the door of the microwave, bouncing off and falling to the floor, Sydney reached Irina and lunged, tackling her over the sofa and smashing into the coffee table, but she had done something wrong at hit her own head, Irina's had missed. She was on the floor; her head and heat were pounding so hard she thought one of them might explode. Irina stood over her, a knife in her hand; she leaned down and put it to Sydney's throat.

"Now _listen_ to me." Irina hissed. "When Jack went on his last mission to Madagascar he found a Rambaldi manuscript. His contact told him Elena was looking for it; I don't know how he knew…. Jack destroyed it, knowing Elena would be missing a key component to extract her endgame but somehow she found out anyway and has almost all the pieces. Sydney, I killed Jack because he put a contact on her head."

"What?" Sydney spat, was this a serious attempt at trying to make her listen or was Irina just playing?

"I have proof Sydney; Jack made a contract with someone you're familiar with."

"Who?"

"It was Anna, Anna Espinosa."

At that point Sydney could have laughed; Anna was supposed to be dead. This lie had gone on far enough, why didn't Irina just slit her throat and get it over with, wait what was she thinking?

"Anna is dead." Sydney said, echoing her own thoughts. Irina shook her head sadly.

"She's alive Sydney, and Jack assigned her to kill you. I have proof."

"Show it to me."

Irina nodded, dropping the knife and allowing Sydney to rise. The moment she was on her feet she lunged for her pistol, grabbing it and pointing it at Irina.

"You've got ten seconds."

"I have pictures; they're on my cell phone."

"Nine," Sydney counted, watching Irina slowly reaching into the pocket of her brown jacket. Sydney cocked the hammer of the pistol, Irina was about to pull out a gun, she knew it. She could practically sense it, and when she did Irina Derevko would die. As Sydney reached seven Irina's hand exited her coat pocked, in it was a silver Samsung flip phone. Sydney half breathed a sigh of relief and half cursed.

Irina flipped open the cell phone with had the photo displayed on its screen already. She showed it to Sydney. There was Jack sitting by some white plastic table on the edge of a sunny beach, wearing a black suit. Other then that nothing, this didn't prove anything. Then Irina switched to the next picture. Anna Espinosa came into view, wearing a white shirt and long jeans, doing her best to blend in. Sydney choked; these looked so real, they couldn't possibly have been forged. The eye line was even correct. These had to be the real deal, but if they were… Sydney didn't know if she could handle it.

Irina switched to a third photo. Anna sat down across from Jack; he had pulled out a suitcase and opened it. Inside was a small stack of white paper, the contract, and in the other half of the suit case; a few stacks of money, all hundred dollar bills. There had to be at least 10,000. Irina had one last picture, of Anna and Jack shaking hands. The reality struck her, these were not forged, it was impossible. Jack Bristow had assigned Anna Espinosa to kill Sydney. Irina put the phone back into her pocket.

Sydney dropped her gun.

"Sydney…" Irina said, trailing off.

"Tell me everything."

**_You guys probably know everything but if not I'd say this is a semi-evil cliffy. _**


	6. Closure

Chapter 6: Closure

Sydney and Irina sat down on the sofa, Sydney had completely forgotten about Nadia who was now regaining consciousness.

"Where do I begin?" Irina asked herself.

Sydney didn't get the chance to answer, the hammer of a pistol cocked and the barrel touched the back of Irina's head. Nadia stood with one hand on the gun, the other on her throbbing head behind Irina, ready to pull the trigger. Sydney turned around on the sofa.

"Nadia wait!" She said throwing her hands up. Nadia shook her head slightly and looked at Sydney as though she were insane. "It's alright Nadia; she's not going to hurt us."

"Sydney—"

"Nadia, put the gun down."

Nadia stood there for a second trying to figure out what sort of trick this might be. She looked at Sydney quizzically and dropped the pistol. Irina turned around.

"Nadia…." She said, her eyes glassy. Nadia looked like she was drunk and she slurred her next word.

"Mom…."

Irina jumped up off the couch and Nadia and she embraced. She began mumbling how sorry she was for shooting her (despite the fact it had only been tranquilizer serum, effective from only a few minutes). Somehow Irina knew Nadia was her other daughter, how in the world…. Katya, yes Katya had told her, she knew right when Sydney met her just after they had found out Lauren was Covenant she had met Katya and Katya was looking for Nadia. Naturally once she knew of Nadia in prison she had to tell Irina upon her release. Irina and Nadia broke free from each other and both sat on the sofa. Sydney waited eagerly for closure.

"Why was dad in Madagascar?" Sydney asked. "I want everything."

"As you both know your father, Sydney, was meeting with a contact that had information on a group selling a dangerous kind of drug. He was sent to stop them, what you don't know is that the group was selling those drugs was selling them to fund an archeological project to find a Rambaldi manuscript in the area. They believed it to be inside a sealed cave."

"They were wrong, weren't they?" Sydney asked. Irina nodded.

"They were wrong. Jack's contact knew where it was, and Jack found it. I believe his contact was one of the order of Rambaldi, and he knew Elena was searching for the manuscript, I believe he told this to Jack and then Jack destroyed it."

"And?"

"That's all I know."

"No it isn't, how did you kill him?"

"Sydney—"

"I need to know."

Irina sighed. "Alright, this is how it happened…"

XxX

_Jack sat by an empty hotel pool on a plastic chair, his feet up on a plastic table, in his hand he held a partially full wine glass. He sipped the dark red tinted liquid slowly and looked to the entrance of the pool room as his former wife walked in. She wasn't in her normal elegant clothing tonight; instead she wore a black jump suit with a bullet proof vest on the outside, as if she was expecting some sort of struggle. She looked at Jack curiously, this was not his style. Drinking wine in a dark deserted building, it was slightly creepy and a little… cryptic. _

"_Irina," He acknowledged, putting his feet down on the tiled floor. "I followed our contacting protocols. Why, may I ask, are we meeting here? You said you needed help, what can—" _

"_I have a question for you Jack." Irina cut him off pulling out a silenced pistol from inside her vest and pointing it at him. Jack stood up and dodged to the right of his chair which fell into the empty pool with a clank, Irina turned to face him, keeping her silver pistol trained on his head. "How did it feel?"_

"_Irina, what the hell are you doing? Put the gun down!" Jack yelled._

"_How did it feel to put a contract on your daughter's head? Jack, how could you sign a paper that authorized the murder of Sydney? Why Jack, why did you do it?"_

"_It had to be done Irina. There was no other way, you must understand."_

"_I don't understand! You've always said Sydney was the most important thing in your life. She is in mine; I have no other choice Jack…."_

_Jack opened his mouth to protest but Irina swung her pistol, the side of it made contact with Jack's right temple, he feel to the ground, covering his head. The barrel of Irina's pistol followed him there, he looked up at her, and she down at him one last time. Then she pulled the trigger, once, twice, both shots drilled into Jack's forehead. They broke through his skull and drove into his brain, killing him instantaneously. Not being able to look at her husbands dead body any longer Irina lightly rolled it over with her foot, Jack fell into the empty pool and landed on his back, arms and legs stretched out and eyes wide open. For a moment both murderer and victim stared into one another's eyes, but only the murderer blink as a tear escaped her eye. She put the pistol back into the secret holster of her vest and walked out of the room. _

XxX

"Sometime after that I discovered what Jack did in Madagascar." Irina said somewhat somberly. "I believe Elena set me up to kill Jack. Somehow she obtained information on the Rambaldi manuscript."

"You said something about Anna." Sydney said, trying to forget everything her mother had told her about her father's murder for a moment. It was like Irina had recited the story of another person's crime she felt no anger towards Irina, she felt empty.

"Who's Anna?" Nadia asked speaking up for the first time.

"Anna Espinosa, she's former K-Directorate, she's probably a freelance assassin by now." Sydney replied.

"Do you know her?" Nadia asked.

"When I worked in SD-6 she was a problem for me, we've had our share of run-ins, and she is supposed to be dead."

"So are a lot of people." Irina said. "Yes I said your father gave Anna the contract. I went to confront her and maybe even kill her, she escaped me but left information on the contract behind. I found it in a safety deposit box in Zurich, I had to verify for myself that it was real. I don't know where Anna is now, contacts have given me unconfirmed reports she joined up with Elena."

"You also said Elena is missing certain pieces for something…"

"Yes, the manuscript was like the instruction manual for it all."

"What is Elena trying to do?"

"In order to tell you that I need Arvin Sloane to be here, she's trying to finish what he started."

"What are you talking about?" Sydney asked, in the slightest bit she was actually shocked.

"When Sloane was working at Omnifam he was using it as cover to do something else. He should be here to explain it."

"I'll call him." Sydney said taking out her cell and dialing Sloane's personal APO phone number, it rang twice; there was click as it was picked up and Sloane's cool voice hummed in her ear.

"Arvin Sloane." He said into the phone absentmindedly.

"My house, ten minutes." Sydney said. She faintly heard Marshall's voice asking who it was, but Sloane told him to go back to his work.

"What's wrong Sydney?" Sloane asked. "You sound… rushed."

"My mother is here, we need to speak with you."

There was quite an extended pause.

"That is unexpected, should I bring a team to take her to—"

"No, she has explained everything, except for what you were using Omnifam as cover for, my house, ten minutes."

There was another long pause.

"I'll be there." Sloane said, he hung up and the dial tone rang in Syndey's ear. That pause had just as well confirmed Sloane was guilty to something; Sydney couldn't wait to hear it her only hesitation was Nadia.

**_It never actually specified where Jack obtained the manuscript in season 4, I randomly picked Madagascar. _**


	7. Pieces

Chapter 7: Pieces

When Arvin Sloane walked through the door of her house with a smug little confident look on his face and stepped into her living room area, nodding once at Irina casually and doing the same with Nadia Sydney could just have about shot him. He dared act so casual when he was guilty of something like Irina had said!

He sat down opposite from Irina and Nadia on the other sofa, Sydney contemplated whether or not she should burn the thing later. She floated from one sofa to the next, waiting. Sloane and Irina stared one another down, each knowing what Irina was about to accuse him of, Sloane's confidence had faded the moment he sat down.

"Irina," Sloane acknowledged. "Good to see you."

"Arvin," Irina acknowledged quirking and eyebrow. That was the last thing she would have expected Sloane to say. "It isn't good to see you."

"I'm sorry you feel that way." Sloane said coolly. His gaze flickered to Nadia who was staring at him with no expression. "Now why have you called me here? Running APO isn't as easy as it looks."

"I'm sure it's not." Irina said, matching Sloane's tone. "You know why I called you here, you're smart enough to figure it out, yes… I can see it in your eyes. Will you tell them, or do you want me to?"

"Tell us what?" Nadia asked.

"What the cover of Omnifam was." Irina said. "Do you want me to tell them, or will you?"

"Irina I don't know what you—"

"Omnifam was used as a cover for Sloane's research," Irina said to Sydney and Nadia keeping her gaze on Sloane the whole time.

"Research on what?" Sydney asked, though the answer was clear.

"Another one of Rambaldi's quests." Irina stated. "Rambaldi collaborated with a man called Mueller and used on of his devices. You know what it is Sydney, the device you disarmed in Taipei when you were still inside SD-6, the Mueller device. Shall I go on Arvin?"

"Oh yes, by all means."

"The Mueller device's function is to send out a sub-audible frequency. As you know Sydney the Mueller device is made up of liquid and theoretically the frequency it transmits can have an effect on liquids of the same kind that is it made of. Has your memory returned to you Arvin?"

"I failed when I tried… that Irina! I failed, it is impossible for someone to find—"

"There is a rare orchid, generally though to be extinct, but it is not." Irina continued her face hard. "The nectar of this orchid can be used to alter human brain waves, change our way of life, and breed the aggression out of us with the help of the Mueller device. Perhaps now Arvin…"

"I used Omnifam as cover to fund my search for the orchid; I wanted to make our world a better place." Sloane said "When I could not find it I attempted to synthesize its nectar, but the results were… horrible. I dumped into some of the world's water supply only to find out that it would not breed the aggression out of people, but maximize it."

"You what?" Nadia asked.

"Yes, but without the Mueller device and the real nectar it is useless. Why are you speaking of this Irina?"

"Because my sister, Elena, found the nectar and has constructed every piece of the Mueller device, she needs one more thing."

"How do you know she's—"

"Because I tracked it down to a monastery and found every monk there dead and a cutting of the dying orchid was taken."

"Damn it!" Sloane cried. "I have made a terrible mistake!"

"Mistake?" Sydney hissed. "Mistake? No, when someone undercooks your steak that is a mistake. You are going to be responsible for global genocide, that is not a mistake its worse, and it's not he first thing you've done you son of a bitch! When you killed Danny and almost killed me because I wouldn't go back to SD-6—"

"Sydney," Irina cut her off quietly. "Elena is missing a transformer coil. I came here because I need help to find out where she plans to get it, and to explain."

Sydney snapped out of her rage and looked at Nadia who had her eyes closed and was shaking her head.

"You," She said quietly to Sloane. "It will be your fault if Elena succeeds, the blood of the entire world will be on your hands, you monster."

Sloane winced, Irina cut in.

"Not necessarily, how many people drank the contaminated water Sloane?"

"Somewhere between three and four hundred billion."

"Then I suggest we find out where Elena plans to obtain a transformer coil from as soon as possible."

"We need to go to APO with this." Sydney said. "But you can't Sloane. You're forbidden from engaging in anything involving Rambaldi."

"Sydney I have to clean up this mess, I need to stop Elena."

"If it hadn't been for you we wouldn't need to stop Elena, if it hadn't been for you… forgive me if I don't give a damn about your feelings!"

"We do need to stop Elena." Nadia said, everyone looked to her. "We all need to concentrate on this, even you, but that doesn't mean that you will be forgiven."

"We need to take this up with Director Chase, and find out the best way to proceed."

"I will come with you." Irina said.

"Mom you're a fugitive, Chase will arrest you."

"No she wont, I'm to useful."

XxX

No one didn't pay attention when Irina Derevko walked into APO with Arvin Sloane, Nadia Santos, and Sydney Bristow in her wake, the receptionist picked up her phone and dialed in a number so quickly she didn't know whether she got it right, when she heard to voice at the other end say: "Is this an urgent matter?" in an irritated yet professional tone she knew she had gotten it right.

"Yes Director Chase, I'm Agent Bell, secretary here at APO—"

"I know who you are Mrs. Bell, please get on with it."

"Well director… Irina Derevko just walked in."

"Don't play games with me Mrs. Bell, I'll have you fired."

"I'm not kidding director; you better get down here now."

Irina, Sloane, Nadia, and Sydney sat down in the briefing room, attracted to all the publicity on Irina Marshall, Weiss and Vaughn joined them each had their mouths wide open when they saw Irina sit down at the table so casually. However Weiss's attention turned to Nadia who was attempting to hold in her anger and sadness at her father. Sloane stood up, everyone in the entire office looked toward him, everything was silent.

"As you know Irina Derevko killed Jack Bristow…"

"Sit down Sloane." Irina said standing up. "I'll explain."

She gave a sweeping look around the visible part of the office.

"I killed Jack Bristow because he put a hit on Agent Sydney Bristow's life." Irina said, everyone in the office looked like they had just been punched in the gut. Half of them stared in disbelief the other half were so shocked at this they were expressionless, even the secretary Mrs. Bell was flabbergasted. Irina paused and was about to continue when Vaughn shook his head and interrupted.

"Jack Bristow would never do something like that."

She looked at Vaughn and shook her head, out of her jacket pocket she took out her cell phone and tossed it to Marshall who was sweating like mule he barely caught in.

"Hook it up to the monitors, display the only three picture's on it."

"Oh… yeah, well okay Mrs. Bristow or Derevko, Mrs. BristowDerevko, uh wait am I supposed to…"

"Just plug it in Marshall!" Snapped about five people. Marshall nodded and hooked the cell phone up, he pressed a couple buttons and the screens on the wall flashed and they displayed all of Irina's pictures. There was Jack sitting around on some beach, on the next screen there was Anna Espinosa, then Jack exchanging money with her and the contract. Sydney looked away and around at the workers, she couldn't tell whether they were more shocked at the fact Jack had put a contract on Sydney's head, or that Anna Espinosa was in fact alive, or maybe they still simply could not believe Irina Derevko was there. Finally Marshall unplugged the phone and tossed it back to Irina, sitting down he wiped the sweat from his forehead. Irina deposited the phone back into her pocket.

"I killed Jack to save Sydney; there was no other way." Irina said solemnly. "That's not why I'm here."

"Why are you here?" Weiss asked.

"Because my sister Elena could unleash a terrible weapon very soon and cause global genocide. I am here to stop it." Irina said and quickly summarized what Elena was doing, what Sloane did and what Elena was missing. Sydney took another sweeping look at the office; everyone was now gathered around the open briefing room. Then something caught her eye, a tall dark skinned, short haired woman rounded a corner she was flanked by four men in black clothing, each bearing a silenced and automatic assault rifle aimed right at Irina.

"Stand down Derevko!" Director Chase said, pulling out a pistol. Irina looked at them impassively. Sydney stood up, throwing out her hands.

"Wait Director Chase! Listen to what she has to say."

"Oh I heard it, I have several listening devices planted in every room of this facility. I don't believe a word about Agent Jack Bristow, but I trust she is telling the truth about her sister Elena but Irina Derevko is a fugitive, she must be taken into custody."

"I'm the only one who can help you." Irina said.

"How exactly?"

"I know how to stop Elena, I just need to know where she is. She's looking for a transformer coil; you must task Echelon to look for those keywords, transformer coil, Elena, Derevko, and Anna Espinosa."

"I'm not in the habit of collaborating with criminals." Chase snapped.

It took a little more convincing but finally Chase gave up and agreed. She had to clear it with Langley however and then she would try to get Echelon to search for the keywords Irina requested.

A Day Later

Sloane had called an immediate briefing the next day. Irina had been the first there (since she had to stay the night in the APO offices under heavy surveillance) the hot topic among the entire office of APO was that something on Elena Derevko had been found, nobody except Sloane and Director Chase knew for sure. It was six in the morning; Sydney had been woken by her cell phone and Vaughn's. Weiss had stayed over at the house too with Nadia as she was feeling horrible because of the terrible secret about Sloane. Sydney and Vaughn were the last to sit down at the white table in the briefing room, Irina, Nadia, Weiss, Marshall, Chase, Dixon, and Sloane were all there. Sloane stood up.

"It seems Elena Derevko is moving sooner than we anticipated." He said. "Last night Echelon picked up the word transformer coil along with other keywords such as Anna, we assume this refers to Anna Espinosa, but it also picked up the name of something we can't ID, a project Nightingale."

"Oh god," Irina said. "It exists."

"What?" A mixture of people asked.

"Project Nightingale was rumored to operate in Siberia, it has to do with experimenting with radiation and would have a transformer coil, and if Anna Espinosa is working with my sister then she is going there soon. We need to move quickly. We can go in stealth, I know the doctor who is head of Nightingale, Sydney can come with me, Nadia as backup, Vaughn and Agent Dixon can enter stealth, we can subdue the doctor and take out his guards and open the Nightingale test chamber, Vaughn and Dixon can retrieve the coil."

"No," Sydney said. "I want to retrieve the coil in case Anna is there, Dixon can cover you mom."

"I can do that." Dixon agreed.

Marshall raised his hand. "Hold on, wait a minute. Now I know Director Chase, hi director how are you, has authorized Mr. Sloane to head this operation but isn't there a list of operatives Sloane is not allowed to engage? I though Anna was on the list."

"It's fine Agent Flinkman, I have authorized it." Chase stated matter-of-factly.

"I agree with Irina and Sydney's plan." Sloane said. "Dixon, Sydney, Vaughn, Irina, Nadia, report to Marshall. Marshall?"

"Yes uh Mr. Sloane?"

"Go to your office, run op-tech. Weiss get a plane fueled and chartered for Siberia immediately, Director Chase?"

"Yes Sloane?"

"Come with me, we need to re task satellites. Everyone leaves in twenty four hours!"

**_I never planned this fic to be very long since it is my first full length Alias one, so as you may or may not know this tale is reaching its end, I have ten chapters plotted and I promise you that the last three will be packed and Anna Espinosa will make an appearance. Please review as it is much appreciated. _**


	8. Nightingale

Chapter 8: Nightingale

Siberia

Nadia and Irina had their hair pulled back, Irina's came up and then flowed over the clip that held it messily. Dixon followed them, dressed in a suit with sunglasses, he had a nine millimeter hidden in an underarm holster, and he had the look of a guard about him. Irina was dressed in a cream colored suit and Nadia was simply dressed in a black sweater and matching pants. They really looked as though they were attending a business meeting. They followed the Russian guard leading them down a dim corridor inside the abandoned nuclear facility to meet with the creator of Nightingale, Sydney and Vaughn would be safely in the ventilation system by now. Finally the guard stopped at a door, finally! Nadia's high heels were doing murder on her feet.

The guard slid a keycard through a slot, Irina heard a lock disengage and the door slid open. The guard stepped aside, allowing them entry but stopped Dixon. He would have to wait as well. Irina looked at him, he subtly nodded, she went into the room along with Nadia and the door slid shut with an echoing bang behind them. They had entered the security facility overlooking the generators that powered project Nightingale.

The doctor was sitting in a chair at the many consoles, he was dressed in a lab coat, his hair was almost completely gray and he looked as though he was a decade older than he actually was. He turned when he saw Irina enter.

"Irina, it has been a long time."

"It has, I'm sorry I've come on bad terms." Irina said quietly.

"What do you mean?"

Irina pulled a pistol out from a hidden holster under her suit jacket and cocked it. The man's hands flew into the air.

"Irina! What is the meaning of this?!" He cried.

XxX

The guard had heard his doctor's muffled cry. He looked at Dixon who looked at him. The held an AK-47 loosely, pointing at the ground. He raised it up to Dixon.

"On the ground." He said in Russian.

He opened the door with the keycard once more, giving Dixon and opening. Dixon kicked him in the groin, he dropped his gun allowing Dixon to grab it and hit him in the temple with its butt, knocking him unconscious. Dixon ran into the control room, the door closed, Irina pressed the comm in her ear.

"Phoenix, Shotgun move out." She said when she got an acknowledgement from Sydney she looked back down at the doctor. Dixon shot a guard that opened the door.

"Now tell me doctor, where is Elena?" She asked.

"Who?"

Irina backhanded him in the cheek.

"Elena Derevko, where is she?" Irina asked once more.

"I don't know Irina! Put the gun down, stop shooting my men!"

"Tell me where Elena is, she wants the Nightingale transformer coil, she will have tried to obtain it peacefully first, where is she?!"

"I don't know Irina! I don't know!"

"I don't have time for this." Irina said, she shot the man in his left foot. He screamed in pain, Nadia and Dixon looked her way.

"I tell you what, think about it." Irina said, shutting down the security measures and unlocking the Nightingale test chamber room. "Phoenix, Shotgun, report."

"Nearing the Nightingale test chamber." Vaughn's voice replied.

"Good," Irina replied. She looked back at the doctor.

"Do you remember yet?"

Nadia watched her mother's brutal interrogation style, and then her eyes caught a security monitor. A woman entered the facility and shot a guard with a silenced pistol, it was Anna Espinosa.

"Look." She said without noticing. Irina and Dixon's attention turned to the monitors.

"Phoenix," Dixon said, pressing the comm in his ear. "Anna just entered the building, she just set up a laptop, she's hacking into the security. I think she got in and she realizes it's down, she's coming your way, be prepared."

"Copy that Outrigger." Sydney replied.

"Now," Irina said to the doctor. "Where is Elena Derevko?"

"I don't KNOW! You must believe me."

"I do believe you." Irina said softly, she aimed the pistol at his head and pulled the trigger. The bullet entered the man's skull, blood squirted onto Irina's suit.

"Mother!" Nadia cried.

"This man was a monster, he deserved to die."

"That's not your decision to make!" Dixon snapped.

"Agent Dixon, this man has killed people, good people, American people, CIA agents…"

XxX

Sydney kept her back to the corner of the hall, Vaughn was next to her, she drew her silenced pistol, and hugging the corner she peeked around, she could clearly see the ajar door of the Nightingale test chamber as well as two guards who had been alerted because of it, the entire base was on high alert and Anna was out there… somewhere. This though was enough to speed the adrenaline flow.

"Phoenix, Shotgun," Irina's voice said softly in their ears. "The doctor is dead, Anna has looped the security cameras. Do you need backup?"

"Negative," Vaughn whispered. "Approaching Nightingale test chamber, stay there and listen in on the guard channels."

"Copy that." Irina said there was silence. Vaughn nodded to Sydney who fully turned the corner and shot one guard then the next in sequence. She and Vaughn ran into the room, there was a giant glass window above a control console and inside Sydney could see a tall short and thick metal rod that looked like the radiation emitter of the project, from what little intel they had acquired on Nightingale it was an experimental form of radiation, designed to destroy organisms. Sydney activated her ear comm.

"Merlin, come in." She said.

"Hey Phoenix," Marshall's voice replied. "Listen, what do you think is better Chinese or Italian, I've always been a fan of Mexican myself but Mr. Sloane isn't in the mood for enchiladas—"

"Merlin,"

"Yeah Syd, I mean Phoenix!"

"Focus Merlin, Shotgun and I are in the Nightingale test chamber."

"Oh, yeah, okay one of you is going to have to enter the chamber an retrieve the coil while the other stands outside and you know makes sure nothing happens."

"I'll go." Vaughn said entering the chamber. Sydney went up to the control panel.

"You know what you're looking at?" Marshall asked.

"Yeah, I think so." Sydney replied, scanning the control panel, her eyes came upon a button labeled TRANSFORMER COIL, SHELL DISENGAGE in Russian. Sydney quickly asked Marshall if this was right, the reply was yes, she pushed the button. The top of the metal rod began to pull back, revealing a huge blinking coil. Just then something collided with Sydney's face. She fell to the floor and found herself looking into Anna Espinosa's brown eyes.

"Hullo Sydney," Anna said in her accented voice. She aimed her pistol at the other's head. Sydney's eye turned wide as she cocked the hammer, taking a wild chance she kicked Anna's hand, causing her to miss-fire, her bullet hit some part of the Nightingale control panel, causing several sections to explode, Anna leapt and fell to the ground, putting her hands on her head, Sydney followed suit. When both looked up Vaughn was running to the closing door of the test chamber, but it was to late, the door shut and would not budge. Then something horrible happened, the computer voice of Nightingale came online and said in Russian _'Nightingale activated, sixty seconds'. _

Sydney leaped up, Anna was already on her feet, she spun and kicked her in the face, Anna fell down with a bloody cut on her cheek. Sydney tapped her ear comm.

"Nightingale has been activated, repeat Nightingale has been activated! Vaughn is inside!"

"What?!" Cried the voices of Marshall, Dixon, and Nadia in unison.

"No, no, no, no!" Marshall cried.

"Can you shut it down from there Merlin?" Dixon asked.

Anna got back up, picked up a panel from the charred control console and hurled it at Sydney who ducked and grabbed Anna's pistol as well as took out her own. Anna grabbed a revolver that she had in a hidden holster, the barrel was less than an inch long. It was a stale mate.

"No!" Marshall replied to Dixon's question. "It looks like the only way to shut down Nightingale would be to remove the nuclear core from the generator, you'd have to do it from there."

"I'll go!" Dixon volunteered.

Through the comm Sydney heard Irina and Nadia protest.

"They're right Dix—Outrigger, with that kind of radiation you could be killed!" Marhshall said.

"_Fifty seconds_._" _The computer voice said. Anna and Sydney stared hard at one another.

"I'm going!" Dixon said. No one tried to stop him. Marshall reported he would try to slow the count down.

"Wait, Dixon!" Vaughn snapped. "Don't try it!"

"I'm not going to let you die! Going radio silent."

"Drop the guns Sydney." Anna said.

"You first."

"This is pointless, you're just standing here while your friend is about to die. Drop them."

"No."

"We can't just stand here Sydney."

"You're right." Sydney agreed she pulled the triggers of both of her guns; the bullets hit the floor near Anna's feet. Just as Anna regained her balance Sydney kicked the revolver out of her hands, it slid under the Nightingale control console just as the computer announce forty seconds. Then tragically it sped up, thirty, twenty, Marshall cursed over the comm and then it began to slow.

Sydney still had the pistols in her hands, she aimed them at Anna's head.

"On the ground." She commanded. Anna quirked an eyebrow and got on her knees, putting her hands behind her head, Sydney put her un-silenced pistol in its holster and kept the Anna's trained on her, she pulled a pair off handcuff she had brought along in case of this just as Nightingale's count reached eighteen.

"On the floor." Sydney commanded. Anna turned on her knees and lay down on her stomach. Sydney bent down to cuff her just as Nightingale reached fifteen, Anna's foot hit her in the stomach and sent her down to the ground. The pistol slipped out of her hands and slid on the floor right to the doorway. She regained her breath and jumped up, just as Anna did.

They faced each other once more, Anna threw the first punch, a right, left, right hook, Sydney blocked them but Anna got her with a jab to the gut. Sydney backed away a few steps as Nightingale got to ten, nine, Anna threw another punch which Sydney blocked, eight, Sydney wildly preformed a kick, Anna side stepped and punched her in the jaw, she fell to the floor, seven, Sydney was on the ground, six, Anna had her small revolver and was standing over Sydney, five, she cocked its silver hammer, four… Nightingale shut down and the door opened. Anna kicked Sydney in the groin as Vaughn leapt out, she shot him twice, once on his right bicep, once on his left. He went down and Anna ran into the test chamber and grabbed the exposed coil. Sydney shouted into her comm.

"Anna has the coil! Vaughn is down."

"The camera's aren't on loop anymore," Irina reported. "I know where she's going, I'm on my way."

Sydney ran over to Vaughn, his eyes were closed… she ripped open his black jacket revealing two smashed bullets on his vest. She breathed a sigh of relief.

XxX

Irina sprinted down the hallways of the facility, she had kicked her cream colored shoes off long ago and had her nine millimeter pistol pulled. Anna was heading to the loading dock, she probably had extraction out there. Irina caught a glimpse of Anna's long coal black hair as she rounded a corner, she was catching up, as she turned the same corner she drew her pistol, Anna was running down the hall, Irina could clearly see the open doors of the loading dock.

"Be careful," Nadia's voice said in her ear. "A black van just pulled up."

Irina inwardly cursed, she had to take Anna out and stop Elena from getting the coil, still running she aimed her gun and pulled the trigger, the bullets whizzed past Anna who flew through the doorway, Irina followed her in. She was running up to that black van. Irina shot again, desperately this time but the bullets drilled themselves into the floor. She watched in horror as the side door to the van opened and the tall dark haired Elena Derevko herself reached out and grabbed the coil, Anna reached a hand up but Elena pulled out a gun and shot, the bullet narrowly missed Anna's head, she leapt behind a couple of crates.

This was bad, if Elena killed Anna they might never know where Elena was going, until it was too late. Irina opened fire on Elena who promptly shut the door, deciding that it would already be to late by the time Anna gave them the information they would surely ask for and acted on it. The van took off, wheels squeaking.

"Oh my god," Nadia whispered. "That was… Sophia Vargas, my caretaker at the orphanage…."

"That was Elena," Irina replied, trying to see Anna, she ducked as Anna opened fire.

"Mom…."

"Shh, sweetheart I am busy, Anna is still in here."

"Yeah… she's behind the crates to the west."

"Thank you."

Irina crouched, pistol out and headed there, pressing her back to the crates she got to the corner and turned fast. She found herself facing Anna Espinosa, Irina's gun was right in front of Anna's head; Anna's was right in front of her heart. Anna opened fire.

**_This is like a cliff hanger you might actually see on the Alias show isn't it? Feedback is appreciated. _**


	9. Elena Derevko

_**Welcome to the second-to-last chapter of No Other Way, enjoy (and from my calculations I would say chapter 10 is going to be mega long and action packed).**_

Chapter 9: Elena Derevko

Irina leapt to the side and rolled behind a pile of metal crates as Anna pulled the trigger on her pistol. When the firing ceased Irina peered over the pile, Anna was not there. She looked to the left quickly and a bullet whizzed past her right hear, so close she could feel the heat in the air caused from friction. She ducked as more bullets came, hitting the crates. Irina came up again and fired at the front end of a huge truck, that's where the bullets had come from. It of course was not her intention to hit Anna, yet. She ceased firing, indicating that she may be out of ammunition which was not the case, she had only exhausted half of her magazine.

Like she was planning Anna poked around the corner of the truck and didn't have time to react when she saw Irina because the trigger on Irina's pistol was already pulled, she had been aiming for Anna's right hand in which she held the gun, and the result was bitter sweet. Her bullet instead hit Anna's gun which flew out of her hands and landed in pieces, useless. Anna shook her hand hard as a piece of shrapnel had hit it. Then she turned and ran, Irina abandoned cover, chasing after her. She came around the corner of the truck as was hit by a fire extinguisher, right in the gut. Anna had pulled it from a compartment in the truck. Irina's gun flew from her hands and slid under a pile of boxes. Irina fell to the ground.

Anna smiled wickedly, dropped the extinguisher and bent down, wrapping her hands around Irina's neck and squeezing. Irina gasped for air but could get none. She wildly flailed her legs but to no avail. She was desperate to breath, she had to do something… taking her right hand she grabbed Anna's useless gun and smacked it into her temple. Anna released her grip and fell down, holding her hear, blood was pouring out of a relatively small cut. Irina grabbed a plastic wire, used for tying objects inside of boxes, from inside the open door of the truck, she wrapped it around Anna's hands and tightened it, and Anna winced. Irina pulled a knife from a hidden sheath on her upper right arm, she pressed it to Anna's back and pulled her up.

"Damn it, I will kill her!" Anna shouted.

"You don't have to worry about that." Irina said. "We'll take care of her."

"I can help you, you must let me go after her."

"Yes, you can help us, but we have different thoughts as to how. Come."

XxX

Sydney, Vaughn, Nadia, and Dixon met in some hall within the facility, Sydney immediately wrapped her arms around Dixon and thanked him.

"It's okay Syd." Dixon said. Sydney pulled away.

"But you were exposed to a lethal amount of radiation."

"Luckily I slipped on a hazard suit, Marshall slowing down the count helped." Dixon smiled. So did everyone else. Vaughn shook his hand.

"Thanks,"

"Now you owe me." Dixon said jokingly.

"Hullo Sydney." Said Anna's voice behind her, Sydney spun fast to See Irina leading Anna to them.

"Mom…" Sydney said seeing the red line around Irina's neck.

"I'm fine Sydney." Irina replied, she was clearly steaming with anger at the moment. She kicked Anna in her rear end.

"Sit," She commanded, Anna sat on the floor, hands tied behind her back and leaned against the wall. Irina looked at them all.

"Elena escaped with the coil."

"Elena…" Nadia said. "I can't believe it, she was my caretaker, she betrayed me."

"Betrayed you?" Said Anna rolling the R in betrayed icily. "Look at how she left me."

"Quiet." Irina snapped backhanding Anna.

"What do we do now?" Nadia asked.

"I don't know," Sydney said. "Let's ask Anna."

"Anna?" Irina asked. Anna looked up at her. "Where is my sister going?"

"Sovogda, Russia. She plans to activate the Rambaldi device there, Covenant agents have infected the water supply—"

"We know." Irina said.

"Covenant?!" Vaughn said confused. "We took them down."

"That is what Elena wanted you to think, your division in the CIA was too stupid to see that. And Sydney…"

"What?" Sydney snapped, thinking about what Lauren had said last year, just before she died: _"The difference between us is that I know who I'm working for."_

"Your father is alive."

XxX

"Jack Bristow is being held in Sovogda, Russia." Sloane announced over the APO briefing room table. "According to Anna Espinosa this is also where Elena Derevko plans to enact her endgame."

Director Chase seemed half pleased with this news and half ticked, Sydney, Vaughn, Nadia, Irina, Dixon, and Marshall were just listening intently.

"Do we know where Agent Bristow is being held, or where in Sovogda Elena Derevko is?" Chase asked.

"No, it is likely Elena will be keeping Jack close by in case she needs any assistance in activating the Mueller device. I'm having a plane prepped for flight to Russia, your task is to find Elena and…"

Sloane's train of vision went up, everyone watched as a distressed looking Weiss ran into the room.

"Turn on the news, now!"

Marshall quickly grabbed the silver remote for all of the LCD screens on the wall, fumbled with it for a second, and then turned it to its TV mode, several different news stations sprang up on the screens. Sydney turned her attention to the American one.

"_Russian SVR will not confirm on what the giant red object hovering over the city of Sovogda is, they will also not disclose what is going on in the city at this time. Unconfirmed reports suggest all civilians are rioting and displaying acts of severe violence and aggression. The SVR has released one shot of this phenomenon to the press but refuse to give anymore." _ The young female anchor reported, the TV flashed from a picture of her to a shot most likely taken from a digital video camera of a massive red sphere suspended in the air above Sovodga, it ended quickly. _"The Russians have confirmed that they will launch an air strike on this massive object—"_

"Oh, no, no, no, no!" Marshall cried. "That would be very, like mega bad."

"How so?" Chase asked.

"Well you see if the device isn't shut down properly it will release all its water which would be bad because it is the contaminated stuff that Mr. Sloane dumped in the… well you know that. You know when you were taught about the, um water cycle in maybe forth, fifth grade? Remember how your teacher, mine was Mr. Henderson he was kind of old and boring… and fat, but anyway you know how water turns into gas and goes into the atmosphere where it condenses and forms clouds. Yeah well that would be what would happen if the device released its water then, Elena could just go set up Mueller devices everyone and anyone who was infection by the water would just go insane because where it rained the contaminated water would be infected."

"She's counting on the air strike…" Irina said. "This is her endgame. We need to get to Sovogda."

"I'll have a plane fueled and ready for Sovogda within the hour, Sydney, Irina, Nadia, Dixon, Vaughn, you'll air drop into the city and find Elena. If what Anna Espinosa said is true Jack will be there, since he is familiar with the Rambaldi manuscript Elena needed he will know how to shut down the device properly, will that be a problem Marshall?"

"Huh, oh no the water will be harmless but you'd probably die anyway because it would just come crashing down on… this isn't helping is it?"

"Get prepped now, Director Chase, Weiss, Marshall see if you can make contact with the Russians and get them to call off the air strike. Good luck to all of you."

XxX

The Airspace over Sovogda

Sydney and Vaughn sat away from the main group in the back of a cargo airplane, they were clad in black suits, parachutes strapped to their backs. The red light shining on them gave them an eerie glow. They were going to jump soon.

"Sydney," Vaughn finally said.

"Yeah?"

"I… I had this all planned out, I was going to ask you on the beach… but I don't know what we're getting ourselves into,"

"Oh my god, Vaughn." Sydney choked out as Vaughn reached into his pocket.

"Sydney, I want to spend the rest of my life with you, trying to make you as happy as you make me."

Irina's dark brown observant eyes flicked in their direction, Nadia and Dixon were in a small conversation, she quirked her eyebrows and half smiled when Vaughn pulled a small black case from his pocket.

"Sydney Bristow," Vaughn said, Irina could read his lips. "Will you marry me?"

Irina watched as Sydney wrapped herself around Vaughn, they just sat there like that for a few long moments before Sydney pulled away and said with tears in her eyes.

"Ask me on the beach."

Just then an alarm flared, it was time to jump. Irina put her helmet on, they were about to drop into Sovogda, she had to concentrate fully on the task at hand.

**_Of course I had to have Vaughn propose, I'm sort of trying to make this fit in to season five, sort of._**


	10. No Other Way

Chapter 10: No Other Way

Wind rushed past Sydney as she tore through the sky, legs just out and arms far outstretched, above her Vaughn he was her guardian angel, and Irina, Dixon, and Nadia soaring below her. The coal black skies over Sovogda, Russia were lit blood red with hints of orange, the light emanated from the rotating red sphere only half visible above gray clouds which were constantly getting closer. They were so close Sydney went threw them, a shiver ran down her spine as a cold wetness touched the millimeter or so of skin that was exposed between her helmet and her black suit. When she exited the cloud she could see the vast city below her.

Sovogda was burning literally, fires were everywhere, in buildings, houses, on some streets. She could see the little dots that were cars stopped in the roads there was nothing else, it was quite eerie.

"Sydney," Irina said through her ear comm, not bothering to use her call sign. "Deploy your parachute, Vaughn, do the same."

Both Sydney and Vaughn followed her instructions as the city of Sovogda seemed to grow, they were suspended in mid air for a moment and then they slowly began to descend, Sydney saw as Irina, Dixon, and Nadia deployed their chutes as well, all the while Sydney could not help but feel something was wrong.

XxX

Sydney shed the pack which housed her deployed parachute, Vaughn did the same behind a car near her, Irina came into view first, followed by Nadia and everyone else. Just as they were about to discuss their next course of action (for they hadn't much of a plan since they had to leave immediately because the Russians were planning an air strike) Sloane's voice filtered through their ear comms.

"Sydney, Irina, Nadia, Dixon, Vaugh, the Russians are moving up their time tables, they will be launching the air strike sooner than expected." Sloane said gravely.

Sydney tapped her comm. "How long do we have?"

"Two and a half hours at the most." Sloane replied.

"But there is some…" Marshall began, trailing off. "Yeah Carrie I know… well just… honey it's very important… well give him some… milk I guess. No I haven't been drinking… okay, okay! I got it milk on an upset stomach isn't good, I'll be home soon. Okay um Phoenix, Evergreen, Shotgun, Outrigger… uh Miss Bristow—or Derevko—Miss Derevko-Bristow what is your call sign?"

"Forget the call signs Marshall, what is it?" Vaughn asked irritated, every second they wasted was a second closer to the launch of a weapon that would cause global genocide.

"Well we re-tasked a satellite over Sovogda and were able to pin point the building the device's generator is on, you can probably get through it to the subway, I've uploaded a map to the building and blue prints onto your PDA's."

"Thanks Marshall," Irina said taking out her PDA.

"Hold on, it's pitch black in those tunnels." Dixon said.

"There should be a backup generator to power the train." Sydney said.

"That's not what I'm worried about, what if there are… people down there that were… infected?"

"We'll tranquilize them." Sydney said.

"Uh, no, no, no, no, no, that won't work," Marshall's voice said. "The infected ones which will probably be every single person in… yeah well they'll be kind of in a heightened state so tranquilizers won't affect them."

"Then we should kill them?" Nadia asked. "Just like that."

"Well yeah… there's no cure you're just putting them out of their misery."

Luckily everyone had brought a nine millimeter and plenty of magazines full of ammo. Irina studied the blueprints closely.

"Elena is counting on that air strike, she'll want to be in a fortified location in the building because when the Mueller device bursts the sheer mass of water will crush the building, our best bet is the sub basement. She'll have blocked off the entrances to the street so we cannot enter it that way, however the building has its own private subway station, that's the only way in." Irina said.

"And it will be the most heavily guarded." Dixon put in.

"Yes," Irina agreed. "Sydney, Nadia, I want you to set a course on the tracks to our destination, Dixon, Vaughn and I will cut the brake cables from the train other wise it won't move."

"How will we stop it then?" Vaughn asked.

"Emergency brakes," Irina replied. "We need to move."

Everyone agreed with that, they made their way down the streets for a few minutes, everything was cast in an eerie blood red glow from the device rotating high above them, after a few minutes they found a flight of stairs that led into the subway. Sydney and Irina went first, holding flashlights under their guns, they began to descend, Dixon, Vaughn, and Nadia followed, after about three steps they froze when they heard something groan. The three behind Irina and Sydney drew their guns and flashlights, hugging the walls they descended quietly, and about halfway down something came into view, someone was lying down on the steps, dressed in a suit similar to theirs.

"Oh god," Irina murmured, she ran to the injured person and turned them over, it was none other than Katya Derevko.

"Irina," She said.

"Katya what happened?" Irina asked.

"I am here to stop our sister like you, I was down there and I was attacked by a pack of them. One had a machete and he cut my arm, I managed to escape."

"We need to move, the Russians are launching an air strike."

"When?"

"In about two hours." Irina replied helping her sister up, she took a roll of medical tape out of a pouch on her belt and wrapped up the huge red gash on Katya's arm. Dixon tossed her an extra gun.

"Let's go," She said. "I know how to get the train moving, we need to get to the control station."

"We'll come." Nadia and Sydney said together.

When they reached the bottom of the steps Nadia, Katya, and Sydney went one way, Irina, Dixon and Vaughn went to the quiet and motionless train. Dixon jumped down and began to cut the break lines, Irina and Vaughn stood guard, watching intently for any enemies.

"I saw the ring." Irina said.

"Yeah,"

"Yes, I'm happy for you."

"Look, I don't need the blessings of a woman who killed my father."

"Nevertheless you may have them, I need to give you some advice."

"Keep it to yourself."

"Take my life as an example."

"What's your advice, don't betray your spouse?"

"That would be one, the other: never keep any secrets from her, at least not the one's you're keeping Mr. Vaughn."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Vaughn said.

"Don't you?" Irina asked. "I think you know exactly what I'm talking about and I'm warning—"

She was cut off by the sound of shots being fired, followed by the train starting up; Dixon came off the tracks and looked down the way, out of the darkness emerged Sydney in full sprint.

"Start the train!" She yelled, Katya and Nadia emerged after her, Vaughn ran as fast as he could, Irina and Dixon ran inside the back car, allowing Nadia, Katya and Sydney to enter just as a huge band of grim looking people, covered in blood holding all sorts of weapons ranging from chunks of concrete to steel poles came out of the darkness. Irina shot one in the head.

"Vaughn," Sydney yelled. Then the train began to move just as a person reached it, he actually latched on with his teeth, Katya back handed him and he fell off, his cronies tripped over him, then they were off.

"Thank god," Sydney said.

XxX

Elena Derevko stood, hands clasped behind her back and starting at a map of the world, many places were marked with red tacks, indicating where the water from the Mueller device would most likely affect once the Russians blew it up. Elena was draped in a long leather jacket with matching pants and a black shirt and shoes. Her hair was pulled back and it ran the length of her back. She turned as an associate of hers approached.

"Elena," He said.

"What is it?"

"One of the subway trains has started up."

Elena looked at him expressionlessly contemplating who would be able to move the subway train, she suspected it could simply be a malfunction brought on by the foolish infected one, nevertheless she would rather be safe and assume it was a threat, she needed leverage and if it was who she suspected it might be, the CIA, then she would need it.

"Bring me Jack Bristow."

XxX

The group of spies stood in front of the door that would momentarily pull open, revealing a platform that was quite possibly full of blood thirsty men ready to kill them. They all stood guns pointed out, safety off, then it opened revealing a line of men with little cover. Sydney was the first to open fire, she it one in the chest and he went down, bloody. She then took cover and Irina and Dixon simultaneously opened fire, killing two more, Vaughn hit one in the arm and Nadia took care of him, the last one Katya shot clean in the head. They all stepped out, taking the men's ammo. Irina took lead and began to explain to all of them what to do now.

"The time has come to split up, a few of you need to go and find Elena and rescue Jack, and then someone needs to go to the roof to disarm the device, Jack will know how and we'll contact that person on the roof with the intel. Sydney, Vaughn you will go up to the roof, Katya, Nadia, Dixon and I will rescue Jack. Agreed?"

"Agreed," Everyone said in unison. They broke off, Vaughn and Sydney to the roof, Irina, Dixon, Katya, and Nadia to rescue Jack.

XxX

Elena had Jack tied to a chair with an uncomfortable rope, he had several scars on his face with blood dried over them and his hair was slightly ruffled, he sat there with a steely gaze watching the door to the basement, there were four guards near it and Elena had a gun pointed to his head. He jumped a little when he heard the sounds of gunshots behind the door. A few more and then a scream, all was quiet. Suddenly the door flew open and one last guard ran in, his shoulder was bleeding where a bullet had grazed it, he fell as a nine millimeter bullet hit his head and slid right into Jack's foot, he scowled as he looked at him.

Jack looked back up at the door to see Irina Derevko enter, all four guards aimed a gun at her, but then changed to aim at either Katya, Nadia, or Dixon when they to entered.

"I would be unwise to move I think." Jack told them, secretly slicing into his bindings with a shard of metal.

"Drop your guns." Elena said. They followed orders and let the guards bind their hands, they were led and were forced to sit all around Jack's chair.

"Irina," Jack acknowledged.

"Jack," She said sitting down.

"You killed me."

"I'm sorry Jack, there was no other way."

"Shut up!" A gruff looking man shouted, hitting Irina in the face with the butt of his pistol.

"How many of you are there?" Elena asked.

"Just us." Nadia said.

Elena bent down, smiling and took Nadia's chin in her hand, forcing her to look into her eyes. "Nadia, I'm so sorry it turned out this way."

She stood up once more.

"I don't believe any of you." Elena said, then she pointed to three of her four guards. "You three, to the roof, make sure no one tries to tamper with the Mueller device."

They followed her order like dogs without question and ran out of the room, the last guard went to the corner and stood there in the shadows, his gun in its holster, he smoked a cigar.

"This is a pitiful attempt at rescue I must say." Hissed Elena.

"It was a last minute plan." Irina snapped. "With the Russians moving up their times tables for an air strike we needed to move."

"Sadly you were not quick enough sister, only thirty minutes left."

XxX

Sydney and Vaughn reached the roof and stopped short, staring at the giant red sphere suspended above them. Flashbacks of Taipei came to them, the red ball bursting, flooding the building, Vaughn behind the glass, Sydney sitting on a chair, Irina entering for the first time…. They looked at the battery of the thing, a sort of half circle shaped rod, they now had to wait, but it was cut short as three men came onto the roof with their guns out, Sydney rolled behind the Mueller device's battery, and Vaughn leapt behind a large chimney on the roof. Sydney opened fire as the last guard emerged from the stairwell, her bullet hit him in the chest, he stood suspended for a moment and fell backwards into the darkness of the stairwell.

The other two ducked behind cover, Vaughn peered over his as did an enemy, they both opened fire, Vaughn wasn't hit, the other was. The last guard did not rise, Sydney heard him scream into some sort of comm.

"There's two up here! Need backup, need back up!"

Sydney ran from behind the battery towards metal box type thing the guard was behind, just as he stood up she leapt onto it, spun and delivered a round house kick to his face, knocking him unconscious.

"Where is everyone?" She asked Vaughn.

"Elena must have captured them."

"What do we do?"

The answer came through their ear comms.

"Wait," Irina said quietly. "Jack is almost free."

XxX

"You," Elena shouted at the last guard. "Stay with them, if one even blinks plant a bullet in between their eyes, I will take care of those two myself!" Elena declared pulling out a nine millimeter pistol and running to get to the roof.

Everything was silent, the guard began to circle his prisoners, watching them closely, thankfully Nadia's head was blocking his view of Jack's hands. Jack was nearly through the rope, just one last millimeter… he was free, the rope fell and hit the ground silently. The guard was just coming in front of him, Jack leapt up, wrapped his arms around the guards neck and turned it hard, snapping it in an instant. He quickly cut everyone loose and told Nadia to warn Sydney and Vaughn. Irina promptly ran after her sister before anyone could stop her.

XxX

"Sydney, we're fine, Elena is coming!" Nadia shouted through the ear comm and at that moment the door to the stairwell burst open. Elena Derevko walked through, gun raised, both Sydney and Vaughn dived behind the battery. Elena walked straight out in front of it, opening fire, her bullets hitting the heavy plating of the battery itself, going over or smacking into the huge antenna pole between her and it. The shooting stopped abruptly, both Vaughn and Sydney peered up. Nothing.

They saw where Elena might have went, there were a few huge crates on the roof that a helicopter had dropped off, they had originally held the pieces to assemble the device, Elena had went behind them. Sydney and Vaughn, guns at the ready headed towards them, Sydney slipped trough a gap in between the first box and the wall of the roof, Vaughn continued around, Sydney reached the corner, she quickly turned right to face the aisle between two of the crates. Nothing, where the hell was she, she can't have just disappeared. She must be watching them right now, this thought got the adrenaline pumping in Sydney, through her head ran a dozen different scenarios of what Elena would do next, she was slowly preparing herself for every single—

Pain shot through her arm, she lost her gun and it fell of the roof, there was a bang, intense pain in her leg which gave out from under her. She fell onto the black gravel covered roof of the building, staring up at Elena. She had been shot in the leg, Elena must have missed, Vaughn ran behind her but she turned around and pulled the trigger of her gun, no mistakes this time, the bullet hit him right in the chest, he flipped over a small metal box that had housed the transformer coil. Elena pointed her gun down at Sydney.

"I didn't kill you because I wanted to meet you first. Hello Sydney."

"Hello auntie Elena." Sydney spat. Her gaze flickered down to Elena's legs, they were slightly spread, she inched her good leg towards the left leg of Elena's and was about to kick when Elena flew into the guard wall of the roof next to her and dropped her gun over the edge. She turned to see Irina facing her, pistol aimed right at her—

Elena fell into a jump kick and the pistol flew from Irina's hands, landing on top of the ten foot tall crate to the left, Irina retaliated by kicking Elena in the shin and punching her in the jaw. Wiping a drip of blood from the corner of her mouth Elena did a left, right, right, left combo, Irina deflected them out of the way but was caught off guard by a right hook to the face, she back stepped and Elena kicked her in the stomach she fell back over the same crate Vaughn did and nearly landed on him, she leapt up quickly only to find Elena had jumped up onto the box, she delivered a spinning kick to Irina's shoulder, Irina fell to the left and grabbed Vaughn's gun. Vaughn groaned.

Sydney watched as Elena walked towards Irina, her heart was beating so frantically it was a wonder it didn't explode out of her chest, frenetically she searched for something, anything to help. Her hand clasped over a large rock, she picked it up and hurled it at Elena's head… it missed. Elena didn't even spare a glance, she continued on her way to Irina who leapt up and pointed the gun at her sister.

Elena, forming her arms into and X pushed Irina's up and clasped her balled up fist around her sister's arm, she spun, the arm over her shoulder and twisted it hard, the gun fell from Irina's hands. Irina winced as Elena elbowed her in the stomach and then spun kicking her in the back. She fell to the ground and got a few pebbles in her mouth.

"Irina, Irina, Irina," Elena said pulling a fiber wire from her leather coat's pocket and wrapping it around both hands. "You boxers, you need to learn how to kick."

Elena bent down and was about to wrap the fiber wire around her sisters neck when—

"Elena, there's something I wanted to do to you since we were eleven." Irina said.

"You—"

Irina's elbow shot up contacting with Elena's cheek and sending her to the ground, she dropped the fiber wire. Irina picked up the rock Sydney had thrown and bashed it into Elena's temple. Elena cried out in pain and Irina lost her footing as Elena kicked her shins. She fell on her stomach, the wind knocked out of her. Hand in her throbbing temple Elena stood up over Irina, she kicked her in the stomach sending her rolling towards the antenna pole. Elena grabbed that bloody rock having every intention to smash it into Irina's temple then knock every single one of her teeth out and choke her with them but when she reached her sister Irina stood up, grabbed a hanging chain and swung it around, it whipped Elena right in the face, the rock flew from her hand and she fell to the ground, Irina kicked her in the nose, there was a sickening crack and blood squirted out.

Irina took her sister by the arms and wrapped the chains around them well. She ran over to Sydney and helped her up as Jack and Katya came onto the roof, Dixon and Nadia were still in the basement. Irina grabbed Sydney's hand and pulled her up.

"Ah!" Sydney grunted as pain shot through her leg. Vaughn stood up.

"Syd!"

He ran to her and Irina let him take her, he put her arm around his neck and led her towards Elena. Jack and Katya walked to her too as did Irina, she noticed Jack had a syringe in his hand, he stuck the needle into a bruise left by the chain on Elena's neck, she winced.

"You have a failsafe on the device, you changed the color of the wires than the ones I used to help you build it, what color wire do we cut?" Jack asked loudly.

"It's to late, whatever you have in there I'll hold out until the air strike, then we'll all die."

"I don't think you will, this is the contaminated water." Jack replied. Elena's eyes tried to look at the syringe but they could not see it for it was out of her line of vision.

"What wire?! Jack snapped.

"If I tell you… how do I know you won't inject it anyway?"

"You don't." Jack replied simply. Irina smiled and laughed a little. Elena paused, Jack drew a little blood, her eyes fluttered.

"Alright, cut the blue wire."

Jack pushed down on the syringe and injected the water. Elena gulped and then started to shake uncontrollably.

"Irina," Katya said. Irina looked ather, her eyes flashed to the edge of the roof. Irina smiled again and hastily unchained Elena, both she and Katya carried her to the edge of the roof and let her fall off.

"Cut the other wire." Irina said.

Jack nodded. He looked to Vaughn.

"Get Sydney back down to the basement."

"Okay!" Vaughn said, throwing Sydney over his back, he ran to the stairwell. Jack took out a pair of wire cutters and walked towards the power box of the giant battery.

"Jack," Irina said, following him, Katya ran down to the stairwell.

"Irina," Jack said prying open the power box, he was greeted by a huge mess of wire. He seemed to know exactly what he was doing, tracing a particularly thick wire he found a small hole, sticking his finger in it he pulled off the entire panel of wires revealing the glowing transformer coil, a blue wire and a red wire went out from it.

"Jack, I'm sorry, I just didn't know what to do when I found out you put the hit on Sydney's life, I couldn't find any other way."

"I understand Irina, I've been thinking about it, if I was in your position I can't say that I would not have done the same."

He took the wire cutters toward the red wire, the opposite of what Elena had told them to cut, he pushed the two handles gently until the cutters were barely on the plastic coating of the wire.

"You know you have a saying, I never listened to it but I see now it's true."

"What saying?" Irina smiled.

"The truth takes time; perhaps this is what you meant?"

"Not exactly." Irina said mysteriously and emotionlessly.

"Well when I cut this wire we need to be prepared to run, unless I disarm this wrong the transformer coil will blow up and the water will still fall it'll just be toxic and we'll be dead. Are you ready?"

"I'm always ready."

Applying slight pressure Jack clipped the wires, the battery gave a loud humming noise and then went silent. Jack stood up as did Irina they ran to the stair well as the giant sphere began to turn to water.

XxX

Irina and Jack reached the basement, they sealed the water tight door behind them and told everyone to run to the subway tunnels. They all did, Vaughn carrying Sydney, they all entered the cars and took off. Vaughn sat Sydney down on a seat and began tending to her leg. She looked up at him.

"We saved to world again." She said.

"Yeah," Vaughn replied ripping off the medical tape and finishing Sydney's leg. "Yeah we did, we'll have to get this bullet when we get on our plane."

"Yeah, then we're going to Santa Barbra. I need a long vacation."

Irina's brown observant eyes once more looked at those two, she smiled, for now they would be happy for now, but with—

The train screeched to a halt.

They would be happy for now.

_**End**_

**_I hope you've enjoyed this, the next Alias fic I do will be about Irina not dying in season 5, I doubt I am going to do a sequel to this but I have sort of set myself up for one. But I believe sometime in the future once I finish my current star wars fic I will do just that Alias fic so be on the look out for it, Irina will not die like she did in season 5! And thanks for sitting through like the longest chapter in history, 4000 some words and 7 pages it says. Hey 7, it's like 47 the secret number of Rambaldi. _**


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